The present invention relates to vehicle modifications. More particularly, the present invention relates to extensions for the storage areas of vehicles.
Vehicle storage areas, such as pickup truck beds and sport utility or station wagon cargo areas, provide convenient transportation for all sizes and types of materials. Yet even these may lack desired versatility. For example, a pickup bed with a closed tailgate permits the retention of materials in the bed. Occasionally there is a need to carry materials larger than the closed tailgate configuration permits. The tailgate can be opened enlarging the bed size. This, however, eliminates the ability to retain the materials through use of the tailgate, and so netting or ropes may be used.
In many instances this is a less than desirable solution. Various devices exist that assist in extending vehicle storage areas, such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,639, which discloses the use of panels attached to the tailgate to make an extension unit. The somewhat complicated device has panels that are heavy and unwieldy and their means of attachment to the tailgate is less than desirable. The piano hinge used in the disclosed invention for example, does not allow for movement of the unit laterally on the tailgate. This means the unit is relatively immobile.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an extension apparatus for vehicular storage areas.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and simple extension apparatus for vehicular storage areas.
The present invention provides an apparatus for extending storage areas of vehicles. The preferred embodiment of the present invention installs on a pickup truck tailgate and is folded and unfolded as desired. An unfolded configuration of this embodiment allows for the extension of the box-like bed configuration of the pickup bed, using the tailgate as essentially part of the floor.